5% or $255? Understanding Which IRS Penalty Applies to Your Business

At Heyward CPA, we believe that your past financial records shouldn’t be an anchor holding back your future growth. For many entrepreneurs, the weight of unfiled business tax returns feels like a shadow following every strategic move. You want to scale, hire, and innovate, but there is a nagging fear of what the IRS might … Read more

Unfiled Business Returns: A No-Judgment Guide to Getting Current

At Heyward CPA, we know that life happens. We’ve seen it all: the growth spurts that leave you breathless, the personal emergencies that pull you away from the desk, and the simple, human overwhelm of trying to wear every hat in your business. If you’ve fallen behind on your business tax returns, the first thing … Read more

5 Steps to Find Your Northstar Number (Easy Guide for Growth-Minded Entrepreneurs)

Welcome to Q3! If you're a small business owner, you know that the middle of the year isn't just about surviving the summer heat: it's about setting the stage for a powerhouse finish. At Heyward CPA, we talk to growth-minded entrepreneurs every day. Whether you’re running a thriving law firm, managing a busy daycare, or … Read more

Revenue is a Vanity Metric: Discover Your Northstar Number

The Northstar concept resonates because it goes beyond spreadsheets and tax codes. It gets to the reason you started your business in the first place, and spoiler alert: it probably wasn't just to generate a massive revenue number that looks cool on a slide deck but leaves your bank account feeling empty. So here’s the … Read more

Self-Employed vs. Entrepreneur: The 2026 Reality Check You Didn’t Ask For

Let’s be honest: your LinkedIn headline is probably lying. It’s 2026. Everyone with a laptop and a Ring light calls themselves an "Entrepreneur." But if we’re pulling back the curtain at Heyward CPA PLLC, we see the cold, hard data. Most people claiming the title are actually just self-employed. And while there’s nothing wrong with … Read more

The Ultimate Guide to Medical Practice Accounting: Everything You Need to Succeed in 2026

For many physicians and clinic managers, 2026 feels like a balancing act on a very thin wire. On one side, you have the patient care that called you to the profession; on the other, a shifting economic landscape defined by narrowing reimbursement rates, rising labor costs, and increasingly complex tax regulations. In the past, medical … Read more